Broken Bolt on Shell Plate
- Thread starter white_collar
- Start date
Dillon broken bolt
I think that unless you are quite handy with tools you may want to send that one back to Dillon.
To get the broken bolt out first look for a set screw under the shell plate that could lock the bolt. I would guess that there is one. After removing that one you maybe able to tickle out the broken part with a pick or very small punch. If that fails try a left handed drill after center punching in the very middle of the bolt.
If you removed the ram from the press and place it in a padded vise it would be a lot easier to get at your broken screw.
But you could just call Dillon and they would probably fix it free
I think that unless you are quite handy with tools you may want to send that one back to Dillon.
To get the broken bolt out first look for a set screw under the shell plate that could lock the bolt. I would guess that there is one. After removing that one you maybe able to tickle out the broken part with a pick or very small punch. If that fails try a left handed drill after center punching in the very middle of the bolt.
If you removed the ram from the press and place it in a padded vise it would be a lot easier to get at your broken screw.
But you could just call Dillon and they would probably fix it free
white_collar
Inactive
Thanks for the information. Shucks! I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I'm the kind of individual that anything like this happening, someone with the right tools could have it removed in 15 minutes. Even with the right tools, I'm an hour and a half person! I think I'll call Dillon and talk to them about shipping it back to them and let them take it out and overhaul it. I bought it from another reloader about two years ago and it is one of the older Square Deal B presses. It probably could use refurbishing.
FrankenMauser
New member
Isn't there a set screw that locks that bolt in position, from the side of the ram?
FrankenMauser
New member
I was trying to break the news gently. 
No set screw on the two SD’s I have had for over 30 years, you don’t “adjust” the bolt then lock in it place like the 550 or 650. Just turn it down to the shoulder and that’s it.
That is why there is no mention of a set screw on page 12 of the manual for changing shell plates.
The good news is that because it is a shoulder bolt and not locked in place with a set screw, if it breaks, the remainder should be loose in the threads. Dillon recommends to push the eraser of a pencil onto the top of the broken threads and turn counter clockwise. Others have used small sharp objects to back them out.
There are a number of successful methods to remove it, just don’t do anything that will mess up the aluminum or make things worse, send it back in first. Any repair and parts will be free.
FWIW the setscrew on the right side of the ram didn’t exist on the first SD’s and IIRC even some of the SDB’s (the op’s machine is an older one or there would be a rib and boss cast into the frame where the rear bolt goes), it is an index lever stop and won’t effect the shell plate bolt at all. Backing out that set screw just allows the arm to index the shell plate further and should only be done if the ball is snapping into the detent on the shell plate because of insufficient indexing.
That is why there is no mention of a set screw on page 12 of the manual for changing shell plates.
The good news is that because it is a shoulder bolt and not locked in place with a set screw, if it breaks, the remainder should be loose in the threads. Dillon recommends to push the eraser of a pencil onto the top of the broken threads and turn counter clockwise. Others have used small sharp objects to back them out.
There are a number of successful methods to remove it, just don’t do anything that will mess up the aluminum or make things worse, send it back in first. Any repair and parts will be free.
FWIW the setscrew on the right side of the ram didn’t exist on the first SD’s and IIRC even some of the SDB’s (the op’s machine is an older one or there would be a rib and boss cast into the frame where the rear bolt goes), it is an index lever stop and won’t effect the shell plate bolt at all. Backing out that set screw just allows the arm to index the shell plate further and should only be done if the ball is snapping into the detent on the shell plate because of insufficient indexing.
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JeepHammer
Moderator
If it came into my shop...
I would use a drill extension, center punch.
I would center punch the bolt.
I would use a vairable speed hand drill motor, a drill extension, and a LEFT TWIST drill, no lube.
The friction of the left twist drill will more than likely back the bolt out at some point...
Once I had drilled about 1/2 inch, I would switch to multi fluted screw extractor.
If that didn't get it out, I'd send it back to Dillon before I screwed anything up besides the broken off bolt.
Left twist drills are available from about any nut & bolt supplier or any machine tool supply for a few bucks, drill extensions are available from about any hardware store.
Any machine shop can back that bolt out for a few bucks. Unless I have to use the EDM to remove (usually broken taps or easy outs, they are MUCH harder to remove) it's usually $20 or $25.
I would use a drill extension, center punch.
I would center punch the bolt.
I would use a vairable speed hand drill motor, a drill extension, and a LEFT TWIST drill, no lube.
The friction of the left twist drill will more than likely back the bolt out at some point...
Once I had drilled about 1/2 inch, I would switch to multi fluted screw extractor.
If that didn't get it out, I'd send it back to Dillon before I screwed anything up besides the broken off bolt.
Left twist drills are available from about any nut & bolt supplier or any machine tool supply for a few bucks, drill extensions are available from about any hardware store.
Any machine shop can back that bolt out for a few bucks. Unless I have to use the EDM to remove (usually broken taps or easy outs, they are MUCH harder to remove) it's usually $20 or $25.
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That’s likely why they recommend an eraser.
I can’t count how many times I have had to remove fasteners that folks had made attempts to remove, that just made my job more difficult.
Some of the most fun are when folks have broken off EZouts in a hole drilled off center and into the threads.
Jmorris,
Mine's too old for the set screw, too, which is why I had to look at the current manual to spot the one in the schematics. If that's not running into the shell plate bolt, it begs the question, what has happened on the OP's bolt? If nothing is binding the bolt threads in place, as you say, it should just be loose and come out. But the fact it broke suggests over-tightening stressed it. That makes me wonder if the female threads are crushed and keeping it from turning out easily. That would call for returning it to Dillon. Also, I haven't touched mine with a file, but I assume that bolt is hardened and may require a carbide bit to drill it out, preferably left-handed to avoid driving the remains in further. If so, it is something Dillon will have and they will probably have a jig that centers the drill over the bolt and guides the drill straight into to it. It may well be worth the postage to get them to do it.
Mine's too old for the set screw, too, which is why I had to look at the current manual to spot the one in the schematics. If that's not running into the shell plate bolt, it begs the question, what has happened on the OP's bolt? If nothing is binding the bolt threads in place, as you say, it should just be loose and come out. But the fact it broke suggests over-tightening stressed it. That makes me wonder if the female threads are crushed and keeping it from turning out easily. That would call for returning it to Dillon. Also, I haven't touched mine with a file, but I assume that bolt is hardened and may require a carbide bit to drill it out, preferably left-handed to avoid driving the remains in further. If so, it is something Dillon will have and they will probably have a jig that centers the drill over the bolt and guides the drill straight into to it. It may well be worth the postage to get them to do it.
Over tightening a shoulder bolt could break it but it would be hard for me to buy that you could do that before pulling the aluminum threads out, not that you could get that much torque to it with the tiny Allen wrench that bolt uses.
Priming puts an upward load on the shell plate that would try and bend the bolt and if it had backed off the shoulder would be more susceptible to fracture under the shoulder as well. However, I thing that stress would be smaller than the ones doing similar bending loads on the bolt when trying to remove a case from the size die and/or expander.
I suppose if I had to make a guess at what caused it, my first question would be if the OP wet tumbles his brass and if he lubes cases?
Priming puts an upward load on the shell plate that would try and bend the bolt and if it had backed off the shoulder would be more susceptible to fracture under the shoulder as well. However, I thing that stress would be smaller than the ones doing similar bending loads on the bolt when trying to remove a case from the size die and/or expander.
I suppose if I had to make a guess at what caused it, my first question would be if the OP wet tumbles his brass and if he lubes cases?
JeepHammer
Moderator
Mr. Morris!
Broken drills, taps & 'Easy Outs' is why I built a rod burning EDM!
I struggled with old 'Iron' (what the old timers called 'Gray Steel') farm equipment as a kid, broken fasteners were a way of life.
I stumbled onto two processes, electrolysis & EDM from a 1903 book on electrical projects for boys and scaled up for 'Farm Use'.
I got quite good at removing broken everything, EDM drilling, etc.
It was a LONG way from modern CNC EDM, but it worked when nothing else did.
Cutting out fluted taps & broken 'easy-outs' was something no one else around did, and I never let the cat out of the bag how I was doing it...
As for backing out with a pencil eraser, I wouldn't count on it...
A set of left twist drills gets most broken blind hole fasteners out without much work, but left twist drills aren't common.
I have a set of left twist counter sinks I picked up somewhere at a liquidation sale and they do work quite well since they bite into the fastener. Sears had a set of left twist 'Back Out' tools for a while, they dropped for some silly split screw extractor that didn't work nearly as well...
Broken drills, taps & 'Easy Outs' is why I built a rod burning EDM!
I struggled with old 'Iron' (what the old timers called 'Gray Steel') farm equipment as a kid, broken fasteners were a way of life.
I stumbled onto two processes, electrolysis & EDM from a 1903 book on electrical projects for boys and scaled up for 'Farm Use'.
I got quite good at removing broken everything, EDM drilling, etc.
It was a LONG way from modern CNC EDM, but it worked when nothing else did.
Cutting out fluted taps & broken 'easy-outs' was something no one else around did, and I never let the cat out of the bag how I was doing it...
As for backing out with a pencil eraser, I wouldn't count on it...
A set of left twist drills gets most broken blind hole fasteners out without much work, but left twist drills aren't common.
I have a set of left twist counter sinks I picked up somewhere at a liquidation sale and they do work quite well since they bite into the fastener. Sears had a set of left twist 'Back Out' tools for a while, they dropped for some silly split screw extractor that didn't work nearly as well...
I understand there are many folks out there with the skills, tools and ability to remove the problem from the op’s ram.
I have also fixed enough problems that have been made worse by folks with the best intentions but a lack of tools, skill and ability to do the job they set out to do.
I kind of figured if the OP was in the first category, this thread wouldn’t have been created. He sealed the deal, in my mind, with post #3.
Why I suggested something that had zero chance of making things worse that could be tried for free before boxing it up and shipping it off.
Whatever tension was on the threads went away when the shoulder broke off and the threads are a stainless steel helicoil, so if a portion of a broken bold would ever be easy to remove, it is this case.
From his photo it looks like he could remove the steel base disk (held in place with the two screws in the 2nd photo) that sits below the shell holder and even grab ahold of it, if necessary.
I have also fixed enough problems that have been made worse by folks with the best intentions but a lack of tools, skill and ability to do the job they set out to do.
I kind of figured if the OP was in the first category, this thread wouldn’t have been created. He sealed the deal, in my mind, with post #3.
Why I suggested something that had zero chance of making things worse that could be tried for free before boxing it up and shipping it off.
Whatever tension was on the threads went away when the shoulder broke off and the threads are a stainless steel helicoil, so if a portion of a broken bold would ever be easy to remove, it is this case.
From his photo it looks like he could remove the steel base disk (held in place with the two screws in the 2nd photo) that sits below the shell holder and even grab ahold of it, if necessary.
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white_collar
Inactive
Thanks fellows. I took the inside shaft out, took a regular pencil with the rubber eraser and was able o work the broken part of the bolt out. I received the new bolt in the mail Saturday and hopefully will have the press up and running again Monday. Dillon is the best! I called and the fellow mailed out two bolts and the plastic orifices for large and small primers, which I didn't ask for. Their service is tops!
JeepHammer
Moderator
Glad to hear it!
I don't consider it 'Making it worse', I look at it as lunch money!
If they didn't mess up, they didn't learn anything.
Common sense comes from good judgment, good judgment comes from bad judgment while doing something.
Only people that do nothing do no wrong!
I don't consider it 'Making it worse', I look at it as lunch money!
If they didn't mess up, they didn't learn anything.
Common sense comes from good judgment, good judgment comes from bad judgment while doing something.
Only people that do nothing do no wrong!